Sliver forming machine



July 20, 1943- L.'A. RUNTON 2,324,539

SLIVER FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1939 3 ShQGf-S-ShOBt 2 3 16 21 I33 3s 15 b 14- 9 I an $2.2 v L 3p 7 8 4 1.9 :6 4', "as a.

y 5 v 1 3e was ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1943 Application DecemberlG,1939, Serial No. 309,602

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a sliver forming machine, and theobject of theinvention is to provide' a machine by which rayon lap of indeterminatelength may in continuous operation be out into sections of determinatelength, and these sections brought intooverlap, or pieced together,preparatory to spinning. V

A further object is to provide a quick-acting machine and one that isprecise and positive in its operation. v

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to thedrawings in which Fig, 1 is a plan of the machine.

Fig.2 is a cross sectional view thereof showing the feed later tobereferred to, in their retracted position.

Fig.3 is a cross sectionalview showing the feed boxes in their advancedposition.

Fig. 4 is a View inside elevation of a detail oil construction, whichincludes especially the brush later to bereferred to.

Fig.5 is a view in front elevation of the cut ter, later to be referredto, in its relationto certain of the operating parts of the machineshown in cross section. I

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional E-tof Fig. 5. i, v Fig. '7 is a view partlyin side elevation and partly in section of the drawing off mechanismlater to be referred to. 2

Fig. 8 is a cross sectionalview of another porview on the line tion ofthe machine showing especially the lap hold-down blade later tobereferred to.

'Fig. 9 is a plan in enlarged detail of abortion of the drawing ofimechanism; and

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of a detail of construction whichincludes especially one of the .lap lifting blades later to be referredto.

l represents the stationary bed of the machine. This bedis circular inform and presents a gen erally flat top surface 2 at all points of itscross section. It is supported in any suitable manner as ofi legs, or aweb, 3, which rests upon any suitable base of support. I

Mounted to rotate upon the stationary bed is an annular table 4. Thistable, in the part; thereof adjacent its interior edge, rests to rideupon the bed of the machine through interposed ball bearings 5, both bedand table being suitably channeled to receive these bearings; In thepart adjacent its outer edge thetable rests to slide upon a raised camrail Tl adjacent the outer edge of thes'tationary bed. Thus mounted thetable 4 may. be rotated to turn'on the top of the stationary bed."Rotation of the table is bthe boxes at the rear top ends thereof.

tained by a motor driven gear 8. mounted on the stationary bed of themachine as shown in Fig; 2, which engages teeth 9 on the inner edge ofthe table, the table being turned as the gear is rotated by the motor;

Borne by hangers l0 onthe table 4 are a plurality of spools 12 eachbearing a mass of Wound strands of continuous filament. The spools aremounted in thehangers in any manner suitable to permit of the strandsbeing withdrawn from the individual spools. The spools extend around theannular table lying in relatively close prox imity toone another. Theyare-carried around by the table as it is rotated. Afiixed to the topsurfaceof the table 4, in

the part thereof adjacent its inner edge, is a set of pin carrying ringsl4 and I5, respectively:

These rings lie concentric with one anotherinw same horizontal plane,but are slightly spaced from eachother. lhe outer pin carrying ring i4is preferably slightly wider than the inner pin carrying ring withpreferablyiour rows of pins, circumferentially arranged, while the innerrin has preferably three rows of pins. i

Mounted upon the table 4 outside the pin carrying rings borne by it arefeed units l5 which correspond in number and location with the re-.pective spools. The. strands on each of the spools arewithdrawn from thespool in a preelse and determinate manner at proper timed intervalduring the rotation of th table 4 through the operation of its attendingunit which in turn is operated from off the stationary bed of themachine asthe table 4, on which the unit 1 mounted, is rotated. i r

Before referring specifically to the construm,

tion of each of the units !5 in its relationto the circular table 4 andstationary bed of the mae chine, it will be first explained that thestrands upon each of the spools are wound to present a] multiplicity ofends, and, also, so wound that when Withdrawn from the spool, in theoperation of its attending unit, the strands will lie and project inparallelism with each othenand with the same extent of end projection."

Each of the units it, preferably made sectional, is composed ofa'plurality of feed boxes !8 which are disposed side by side. Each ofthese feed boxes has the formof an elongated tray with a bottom 19,sides 20, and a cover 2|. The ends are open The covers for all the boxesin any, unit are pivoted to turn upon a common pin 22 which isfixed toextend through the sides of all 22 extend through slots 23 in the sidesZEI. These slots are preferably slightly elongated to permit of thecovers having a slight endwise or longitudinal movement or play withrelation to the body of the box. The covers are made relatively heavy.Each cover at its fore end is provided with a flattened foot 24 which,when the box is devoid of strands, has gravity bearing against thebottom of the box. The bearing surface of each of these feet togetherwith the face portion of the box bottom against which the foot hasbearing are preferably made serrated.

Each of the boxes I 8, forming as it does a part section of each feedunit I6, is, in its relation to the table 4, so mounted upon the tableas will enable it to have longitudinal movement in or out radiallyacross that portion of the table on which the box is mounted, and toalso have a tipped up and down movement when the fore end portion of thebox is either raised or lowered. To this end the bottom of each box at apoint adjacent its outer or rear end is provided with a fin 25interposed between a set of hubs 26 on a pivot pin 21 which extendsthrough both hubs and fin. The hubs are borne by a bearing 23 whichslidably rests upon the table 4 along a radial slot 29 therein. Thebearing 28 is provided on its under side with a stud 30 which slidablyextends through the slot 29 in the table with extension into a slot 32formed in the cam rail 1 on the stationary bed of the machine where thestud is provided with a wheel enabling it to run within the slot in therail. The slot 32 cut in the top'of the bed of the machine is a wavingslot so that the bed will form a cam for moving the feed boxes in or outalong the radial slots 29 in the table as the table is turned. The inand out radial movement of all the feed boxes as the table is turned, isgoverned by this slot, and the precise location of any feed box at anydeterminate point of the tables turning is, also, governed by the slot.

Besides their endwise or longitudinal movement the feed boxes may beraised or lowered, turning on their rear end pivotal connections.Secured to the bottom of each feed box, at a point adjacent its foreend, is an arm 33. This arm projects downwardly through the slot 29 inthe table, above which the box lies adjacent, with sliding fit withinthis slot. The arm projects to either rest and slide upon a raised rail34 on the stationary bed of the machine for holding the box in anupturned position, as shown in Fig. 2, as the table is turned, or restand slide upon the top surface 2 of the bed of the machine, as shown inFig. 3, which permits of the then gravitated downturned position of thefeed box. In order to facilitate the movement of the arms 33, eitherupon the raised rail 34 or upon the top surface 2 of the bed, as thetable is turned, the arms for all the feed boxes are preferably eachfitted with a roller bearing 35.

As previously explained it is by means of the feed units it and feedboxes forming these units that the strands are withdrawn from the Spoolsduring the rotation of the table 4. The strands a from the respectivespools extend through the feed boxes, the strands on any one of thespools being drawn to extend through the unit l6 adjacent to it, and thestrands on any spool are separated into separate hanks to pass throughthe various sections, or feed boxes, forming the unit. At a determinatepoint in the tables rotation which corresponds with the section line2-2, Fig. 1, the stationary bed of the machine, acting as a cam, willhave moved one of the feed boxes of some one of the units I5 associatedwith a spool into a position substantially'as shown in Fig. 2. All theparts will in turn as the table is rotated arrive at this same positionas indicated in Fig. 2. Accordingly, description will be made in thelight of this particular feed box located as aforesaid.

Referring, accordingly, to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the feed box isoccupying a p sition at the outer end of the slot 29 in the table, andis occupying its upturned position with its arm 33 resting upon theupturned rail 34 on the bed of the machine. It will also be'seen thatthe strands a, from the adjacent spool, extend outwardly through thefeed box with the flattened serrated foot 24 of its cover 2! restingupon the strands. The strands extend forward from the fore end of thefeed. box and rest by a lap b upon a guard 35 having fore and outer ends31, 38 respectively. This guard is fixed to the bed of the machine andextends over the pins on the respective rings I4,

5. The guard is arcuate in form, and its position and the amount of itsarcuate extensionin" the circle described by the table during itsrotation is substantially as shown in Fig. 1 where it between the twopin carrying rings l4 and l5.,

As the table is turned the stationary bed of the machine acting as a camwill then operate through its cam connection with the feed box to moveit inwardly along the slot 29 in the table. As the feed box movesforward it draws the hank of strands with it from off the adjacentspool. This drawing action takes place because the strands are grippedbetween the foot of the heav cover and the adjacent bottom of the feedbox. This gripping action is facilitated by the serrating or rougheningof the foot and box bottom as aforesaid, and also by the fact that thecover by reason of its loose pivotal connection is permitted to have acertain amount of play in order that the serrations on its foot maybetter grip the strands. As the feedbox moves forward by the rotation ofthe table the strands will gradually be further projected over theguard, and in due course over the pins of both rings; The movement ofthe feed box will continue as the table continue to rotate, until thebox has been moved to a point substantially adjacent the outer end 38 ofthe guard 36, when the feed box will have been advanced so far that thestrands will have been extended beyond the inner edge of the guard toform a fringe c beyond this edge, the fringe extension beingsubstantially that shown in Fig. 3.

While description has been made of this single feed box it will beunderstood that other of the feed boxes, through which hanks of.strandsare extending lying forward of the feed box just considered, areundergoing the same operation, so

that a lap b is continuously being formed on the guard with gradualextension to form the fringe c as approach i made to the outer end 38 ofthe guard.

In order that the la b upon the guard, and fringe extension therefrom,may maintain correct positioning during the period of their formation,and especiall to stop back drag of the strands, both lap and fringe aresubjected to air blasts through jet forming connections 40, air underpressure being introduced from any suitable source.

V Located on the machine at points just forward of the outer'end 38 oftheguardis a brush 4i, and a pin carrying wheel :42. Both'the brush andwheel are borne by an arbor (not shown) connected tothe bed of themachine The brush is freely rotatable. The wheel has geared conas :it isrotated by thetable. ,In consequence.

when the lap b and fringe pass the outer end 38 of the guard, as thetable turns, both lapland the strands thereof arranged in overlappingrelay fringe will be pressed down by theQbrus-hinto the pins on therings and thosecn the wheel;

Theda-p b will be pushed into the pins of the respectiverings while thefringe 0 will be pressed into the pins on the rotating wheel. Inconsequence while the Ian I or t'hat. portion of the fibres containedwithin the pins on therespece tive rings will be carried forward as thetable turns, the fringe acted upon'by the pins of the rotating wheelwill be combed and straightened as;the circles described by the tableand w heel draw apart. p I p The lap and combed fringelthen pursue arelatively short arcuate course in the tables turning, vand the lap b isthen cut, separating that portion of the lap in the pins of theinner-ring 15, which bears the fringe c, fro m that' portion of the'laplying within'the pins on the outer-ring i4. 4 4'.

represents the cutter which is anelectric cutter of common type havingacuttingbladefii The cutter, mounted on the bed of the machine, is so-arranged that its; bladewillzenter the space betweenthe rings M andHand there sever the;

lap as aforesaid. In order to facilitate the cutting of the lap thecutter is; provided with asp lit footAB which is borne by a lever ll onthe cutter; and so arranged that the foottwill enter between] the pincarrying rings and engage the lap under in place whilebeing cut.Pressure is obtained by'a spring 48 connected atone end of the bodv tothe cutter, and atits-other end to an arm .49-

slight pressure thus holding the lap:

M will continue to be carried forward by the rotating table," but theportion of the fringe carrying lap on the pins of the inner ring will bewithdrawn therefrom in the form of a continuous sliv eras the strandsforming the fringe are brought forward, or presented, by the rotatingtable. In this sliver the strands overlap due to the difference in thetime of their withdrawal.

For drawing the strands of the fringe carrying lap from thepins of theinner ring a nip roll 50 is arranged in the path of. the fringe. Thisnip roll is arranged in a vertical position, or one normal to the pathof the fringe, and is preferably a relatively small steel roll with afluted or serrated surface. 7 This roll works in co-operation with a setof endless aprons 5i and 52, which at their forward ends travel aroundrolls53, 53, and at the outer ends around rolls 54, 54. The dispositionof the aprons is such that the nip roll will lie in engagement with thefore end or: the

apron52 which is passing around the roll 53, thus forming a bight 55between the nip roll and the apron. As the fringe is brought forward inthe rotation of the table it will engage the nip roll, and also the endof the apron 52 with which the nip roll is co-operating, with the effectthat the ends of the fringe forming strands willbe brought into thebight 55 of the roll and apron, and the strands will accordingly bewithdrawn from the pins of the inner ring to pass asa sliver 56 betweenthe nip roll and the apron with which it is in engagement, and thencepass through the respective aprons which are ar ranged to snugly holdthe sliver between them and carry it forward. The sliver is formed withsuccessive order of withdrawal and by reason,

also, of the fact that nip roll and the apron with which it isco-operating are rotating at a speed faster than the speed of therotating table; the preferred ratio being about 2 to 1, though this maybe changed as requirements demand; The nip roll 50 and the roll 53 whichassists in bearing the apron 52, are'suitably supported to turn withinhearings in a stationary frame58 sup-- ported off the bed of the machinewhichis provided with a suitable inside support 59. The bearings for theroll 53' are backed by springs 60 which tend to iyieldingly hold thisroll, and the apron passing around it, hard against the .motor 64arranged onthe inside support 59 in the stationary bed of the machine.This motor drives a sprocket wheel 65 inchain connection 65 with asprocket wheel 6! on-a shaft 58 in worm drive connection 69 with the endof the nip roll or shaft bearing this roll. The rotation of the nip rollturns the'apron 52 through frictional engagement therewith, and theapron 52 turns the apron 5| with which it is in frictional engagee ment.I

After leaving the aprons the sliver 5B preferably passes through atrumpet l0, and is then taken'care of, or processed, as may be desired.

That portion of the lap left in the pins of the outer ring I4 is carriedforward as the table con tinues to rotate, and attention will now bedirected especially to that arcuate space in the tables turning whichlies between the point where the strands are drawn off from the pins ofthe inner circle and the inner end 31 of the guard 36. At the time thatthe strands are withdrawn from the pins of the inner circle, the feedboxes I8 will not have been returned from their firmly in place by ahold-down blade 12, which traps the strands in the outer circle of pins,while the feed boxes are being moved outwardly to get a fresh hank ofstrands equal in length to the ones out off. The feed boxes aregradually moved outwardly along the slots 32 cut in the top of the bedof the machine, and reach their outermost retracted position just beforeapproach is made to the inner end of the guard. At this time the lapwill be lifted out of the pins in the outer circle to pass onto theguard, as the table continues to rotate, by stationary blades 13 whichare located between the rows of pins. The feed boxes will then beoccupying a raised position so that they may feed the lap onto the guardas the table continues to rotate, the operation beingrepeated. Inconsequence a sliver 56 is .being continuously formed as the strands aredrawn off from the respective packages.

I claim:

1. In a sliver forming machine the combination comprising a stationarybed, a rotary table bearing inner and outer sets of pins, means forrotating said table, a plurality of packages carried by said table eachbearing wound strands of continuous filament and from which packages thewound strands may be withdrawn, a stationary guard covering said pinsfor a substantial distance along and above the path thereof as the tableis rotated, means borne by said rotary table for drawing the strandsfrom said packages during determinate periods of arcuate movementof saidtable as it is rotated and for feeding the strands inwardly over saidguard to rest thereon whereby lap lifted from out of the outer set ofpins and resting upon said guard will be moved inwardly and the lapprogressively deepened by strands drawn from said packages with endsforming an inward fringe forming extension to said lap, means formaintaining the strands in proper aligned position during their passageover said guard as the table is rotated, means for impaling the fringecarrying lap in the pinsafter the lap has left the guard in the rotationof the table, means for severing the impaled lap whereby the fringecarrying portion of the lap, severed from the portion of the lapremaining in the outer set of pins, will lie impaled only upon the innerset of pins, drawing means whereby the fringe carrying portion of thelap remaining'in the inner set of pins will be withdrawn therefrom toform a sliver with overlapping strands through draft applied to the endsof said fringe as said 7 ends of the fringe are brought into engagementwith said drawing means in the rotation of the table, and means wherebythe lap left in the outer set of pins after the severance of the fringeforming portion thereof as aforesaid will be lifted to pass onto saidguard during the rotation of the table.

2. In a sliver forming machine the combina-' tion comprising astationary bed, a rotary table bearing inner and outer sets of pins,means for rotating said table, a plurality of packages car-- ried bysaid table each bearing wound strands of continuous filament and fromwhich packages the wound strands may be withdrawn, a stationary guardcovering said'pins for, a substantial distance along and above thepath'thereof V as the table is rotated, means borne by said rotary tablefor drawing the strands from said packages during determinate periods ofarcuate movement of said table as it is rotated and for feeding thestrands inwardly over said guard to rest thereon whereby lap lifted fromout of the outer set of pins and resting upon said guard will be movedinwardly and the lap progressively deepened by strands drawn from saidpackages with ends forming an inward fringe forming extension to saidlap, means for maintaining the strands in proper aligned position duringtheir passage over said guard as the table is rotated, means forimpaling the fringe carrying lap in the pins after the lap has left theguard in the rotation of the table, means for straightening the fringeafter the fringe carrying lap has left the guard and been impaled in thepins as aforesaid and before severance of the lap, means for severingthe impaled lap whereby the fringe carrying portion of the lap, severedfrom the portion of the lap remaining in the outer set of pins, will lieimpaled only upon the inner set of pins, draw-' ing means whereby thefringe carrying portion of the lap remaining in the inner set of pinswill be withdrawn therefrom to form a sliver with overlapping strandsthrough draft applied to the ends of said fringe as said ends of thefringe are brought into engagement with said drawing means in therotation of the table, and means whereby the lap left in the outer setof pins after the severance of the fringe forming portion thereof asaforesaid will be lifted to pass onto said guard during the rotation ofthe table.

LESLIE A. RUNTON.

